Guardian Building

The Guardian Building is a Mayan Revival skyscraper in Detroit's Financial District with an exterior covered in 1.8 million custom orange bricks and geometric patterns spanning 40 floors. The structure rises approximately 150 meters and contains office spaces of varying sizes as well as county government headquarters.

The building was constructed between 1928 and 1929 as the Union Trust Building and served as a US Army Command Center during World War II. Its construction coincided with a period of intense commercial activity and defense manufacturing in Detroit.

The interior displays tiles from Pewabic and Rookwood throughout the main lobby, which rises three stories with a vaulted ceiling featuring multicolored geometric patterns inspired by Aztec design. These decorative elements reflect the craft traditions that thrived in Detroit during the 1920s.

The building is normally accessible during weekday business hours, with the main lobby free to enter to view the interior decoration. For more detailed tours or access to upper floors, check ahead, as the structure remains primarily a working office building.

Construction required reopening an African mine to obtain rare blood-red Numidian marble used throughout the interior decoration. The building also employed Monel metal instead of brass for many of its ornamental details.

Location: Detroit

Architects: Wirt C. Rowland

Architectural style: Mayan Revival architecture

Floors above the ground: 40

Part of: Detroit Financial District

Website: https://guardianbuilding.com

GPS coordinates: 42.32972,-83.04583

Latest update: December 6, 2025 22:05